Spell Checker.

Ok, enough is enough, I've had it up to here with the spell checker on this site. I'm sure I speak on behalf of a silent majority when I say I'm sick of being constantly bothered with the annoying red line because I adhere to the rules of British English and spell tyres as tyres and not tires, and want to spell recognise without bastardising it with a Z. I've also caught myself on many occasions adhering to American English, which I can only surmise is a subconscious attempt to avoid the mental torture this forum insists on putting me through. As a student at a UK university I would also like to point out the detrimental effect this may have on my exam scripts, and the essay's that I write due to the pollution inflicted upon my mind, and am quite willing to sue. That being the case, I would be willing to accept some incorporation of a British English spell check system alongside its American counterpart which would give me the peace of mind to fully enjoy the forum and all it has to offer.

The forum seems to have some sort of check spelling function that underlines a word it thinks is spelt wrong with red. Unfortunately it seems to be an American English version which annoyingly means it also underlines words in red that are spelt correctly in British English.

Edit: I called it spell checker because I couldn't think of what to call it.

As a student at a UK university I would also like to point out the detrimental effect this may have on my exam scripts, and the essay's that I write due to the pollution inflicted upon my mind, and am quite willing to sue.

@chdphd, @Buttoneer Thank you very much for your responses, I can't recall it happening to me on other websites, I do use firefox so that may indeed be the cause, I'm going to look into it now, and I'll post what I find here to hopefully help anybody else affected by this.

No, but I thought it was ironic that you were complaining about a spell checker whilst playing fast and loose with the grocer's apostrophe.

But to be more helpful, let me say that I use Google Chrome and if you right click on a red underlined word, you get a menu which includes 'Spell-checker Options'. Click on this and you get the option of UK, US or Australian (?) English. I have set it to UK, so no problems with stray Zs or other American usages.

As well as FireFox, which has many different brands of English available as downloadable dictionaries and is apparently his er checker (checker's?). Grammar, on the other hand, one should -- as a student at a UK university -- know better how to use apostrophes, of course. So don't think the spell checker is spell checker's or even checkers will help you on that or the thesis you'll eventually submit... But I am sure as a student at a UK university you only play chess, of course, checkers' for the mass. Mornington Crescent anyone?

I have set it to UK, so no problems with stray Zs or other American usages.

The z in things like apologize is not an American usage - it's proper English and etymologically correct, the Americans have preserved the correct use. (The z in "analyze" IS American, though, and completely, totally, utterly wrong.)

No, but I thought it was ironic that you were complaining about a spell checker whilst playing fast and loose with the grocer's apostrophe.

But to be more helpful, let me say that I use Google Chrome and if you right click on a red underlined word, you get a menu which includes 'Spell-checker Options'. Click on this and you get the option of UK, US or Australian (?) English. I have set it to UK, so no problems with stray Zs or other American usages.

Oh I appreciate the irony, I actually meant to put little note at the bottom asking to excuse any grammatical errors, having seen this happen before but alas I forgot and here we are.

Thanks btw it seems to work exactly the same way on Firefox.

As well as FireFox, which has many different brands of English available as downloadable dictionaries and is apparently his er checker (checker's?). Grammar, on the other hand, one should -- as a student at a UK university -- know better how to use apostrophes, of course. So don't think the spell checker is spell checker's or even checkers will help you on that or the thesis you'll eventually submit... But I am sure as a student at a UK university you only play chess, of course, checkers' for the mass. Mornington Crescent anyone?

I'm fully versed in how to use apostrophes, I just lack the patience and care to proofread what I've written on a forum before I submit it, what with it being a break away from the rigid rules and formalities of academia and everything. I was going to edit it out, but it seems to have tickled quite a few grammar pedants and who am I to deny them their fun.

I just lack the patience and care to proofread what I've written on a forum before I submit it, what with it being a break away from the rigid rules and formalities of academia and everything.

You've started a thread on the subject, though, didn't you? Doesn't that mean it is important to you but you were bored or something instead? Were you just spending countless electrons whilst lacking the patience and caring? Now it actually becomes amazing -- using proper English with a z not an s as it happens to be spelt...

You've started a thread on the subject, though, didn't you? Doesn't that mean it is important to you but you were bored or something instead? Were you just spending countless electrons whilst lacking the patience and caring? Now it actually becomes amazing -- using proper English with a z not an s as it happens to be spelt...

Actually the point of this thread was to get rid of that annoying red line that appeared underneath my words during the writing process, despite the fact I was spelling them correctly. The issue surrounding grammar was raised separately by another.

I will be the bigger man and forgive your mistake. I can only hope that you can find it in that cruel merciless heart of yours to forgive mine.